


First Meeting

by Deannachu



Category: Original Work
Genre: Original Characters - Freeform, Original work - Freeform, Prompt Challenge, Prompt a Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-28 08:15:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12602252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deannachu/pseuds/Deannachu
Summary: Prompt: A 19 year old meets their father for the first time.





	First Meeting

**Prompt:** A 19 year old is meeting their father for the first time.

**Challenge:** A Prompt a Day for November: I will be writing one prompt per day for the entirety of November. There aren't really any requirements or limits I've set for myself, but they will be at least 1000 words (I hope) each. 

 

Just two hours prior, Hope thought she had enough problems to last her several lifetimes. Her first semester of her sophomore year of college had just started, and she already had about 100 total pages of reading to do, along with the miscellaneous History assignments and Biology labs thrown in for her last general education courses she was required to take. That, along with working part time waiting tables, had given her the start of what was sure to be the  _best_ migraine. She was keeping it managed, however, until she received a phone call from her younger sister, Ellie. When she answered the phone, she was driving back to her apartment, thinking of nothing but dark rooms, cozy blankets, and enough Tylenol to knock out a full-sized horse. 

"Hey, sis, now's not really the best time," she answered in lieu of a proper greeting.  _Just three more minutes_ , she thought as she made a right turn at a stoplight, almost running over a couple of sorority sisters who decided to stop mid crosswalk to take a selfie.  _Idiots._

"I'll be quick," Ellie responded quickly, sounding not at all like her usual self. Hope narrowed her eyes at the display screen where it showed the phone call ongoing. 

"Ellie, what's wrong?"

"Wrong?" she squeaked. "N-Nothing's  _wrong,_ " she laughed nervously. 

"Then why do you sound like you're about to give me bad news?" she inquired, silently cheering at seeing her apartment complex up ahead.  _Bed. Darkness. Tylenol. Bed. Darkness. Tylenol._

"It's not  _bad_ , per say..." There was a pause. "Dad'sComingToTheHouseThisWeekendWhenYouComeHomeAndHeWantsToMeetUs," she spit out very quickly. 

Hope pulled into a parking spot, put the gear in park, and closed her eyes, taking one slow breath. Two. Three. She pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to think happy thoughts above the pounding in her brain. Her stomach twisted, both from nausea and now the anger of processing what her little sister just told her. "Ellie..."

"Just wait," she said suddenly, sounding frantic. "You at least owe it to him to  _meet_ him. He wants to see his two girls grown and get to know them, Hope."

"I  _did_ meet him, Elle," Hope spat, shocked at how much venom filled her tone. "I "met" him when I was born and, when I was two, he suddenly decided you and I were too much responsibility for him and he  _left_ because he's a  _coward._ " 

"He didn't leave because of us-"

" _BULLSHIT,_ " Hope shouted, the throbbing in her head growing worse. "He left two days after you were born. He had given mom two little girls, just what he claimed he had always wanted, and once he finally had them he left. You and I have not had one birthday card, Christmas card, phone call, or visit from him since the day he left and now you're claiming that he's sorry and regrets leaving and  _finally_ wants to meet his daughters? Nice try, Ellie, but April Fools has already come and gone."

"Hope-"

"I've got a migraine. I need to go." Hope cut her sister off and ended the call, turning off her car and sitting there in the silence for a few moments. She closed her eyes and put her face in her hands, leaning against the steering wheel. The earliest (and probably only) memory she had of her father was her 2nd birthday party, just a few weeks before Ellie was born. She remembered bright lights and bright colors, the warmth of her mother's smile along with her bloated stomach, which she constantly rubbed absentmindedly. She remembers being in her father's arms as she opened a stuffed unicorn doll from a relative in the family. He had given her a snow globe with her favorite Disney princess inside - Aurora. It still sat on her bookshelf in her room with other Disney princess snow globes.  _Why do you want back in our lives_ now? she questioned silently. 

A sharp knock on her window jolted her out of her stupor. She looked up quickly to see her roommate, Bailey, staring at her with a concerned look on her face. She opened the door and stepped out, looking up at her roommate. Despite being about 6 inches taller than her, Bailey was her best friend. They had known each other since junior high when Hope befriended her on the first day of 7th grade. They were both a little quirky, loving books and games instead of fashion and celebrities like most girls their age. Bailey's hair was long and fine, the color of dark chocolate with eyes to match, while Hope's bright blonde pixie cut and half shaved head contrasted beautifully. While Hope's mother and sister shared hazel eyes, she had dark green ones that she was told she inherited from her father. 

"Are you alright?" Bailey asked, clearly concerned. Hope squinted her eyes and shook her head gently. "Migraine again?" She nodded. "Come on, let's go inside. No, I'll get your bag, just go inside and go to your room. I'll bring you some Tylenol and some tea."

"I don't know why you swear by hot tea," Hope grumbled. "It really doesn't do anything for me."

"That's because you don't drink enough of it," Bailey scoffed, rolling her eyes. She led Hope inside their brightly decorated apartment and steered her around a corner to her bedroom. One thing Hope had planned to do today was clean, as her room looked like a tornado had blown through it. Books were scattered everywhere, clothing draped every available surface, and stacks of games were laid atop her Xbox and her laptop next to her TV. Her sheets were still crumpled from this morning but the bed looked inviting nonetheless. She shook off her shoes, stripped to just a tshirt and her underwear, and slid underneath the covers, relishing the softness they provided her skin and her aching head. Her blinds were already sealed against the sunlight so aside from the light pouring in from the living room it was completely dark. She could feel the throbbing behind her eyes and desperately wished it to go away. She heard Bailey's soft steps towards her and opened her eyes, reaching for the pills she was being handed. 

"These aren't regular Tylenol," Hope said quietly, looking at the slightly larger pills in her palm. 

"It has a sleep aid in it as well," Bailey said, handing her a steaming cup of tea. She could smell peppermint wafting from the steam. "Sleep usually helps headaches. I don't have classes tomorrow, so I'll wake you up later and bring you dinner. You just sleep and get rid of your headache, okay?" 

Hope's heart swelled. This is one of the reasons why they were best friends: they just understood each other. Hope popped the pills in her mouth and swallowed them down with a hot mouthful of tea. The two were quiet for a beat before she spoke, "Ellie called me to tell me that my dad wants to meet met his weekend." 

Silence. 

"But, your dad-"

"He left right after Ellie was born, when I was around 2 years old. We haven't heard from him since. Now, 17 years later he wants to reconcile things with us. Why?" Hope laid on her back and stared at the dark ceiling. "There has got to be some ulterior motive. No one stays basically missing for 17 years and then suddenly wants to reconnect with the daughters he left." She felt Bailey sit on the edge of her bed near her feet. "I just don't understand."

"I can't imagine what you're going through," she said softly. "But the only advice that I can think to give you is that you'll never figure out what he wants unless you let him speak. I'm not saying forgive him. I'm not saying welcome him back into your life. I'm saying just hear him out. You'll be with your sister and your mom, right? So it's not like you're meeting him by yourself in a public place." She shifted her weight, standing up. "I'm guessing he was the cause of this migraine?" 

"Most of it. The other part was just the amount of homework I have," Hope grumbled, feeling her body relax and her eyes getting heavier as the medicine worked its way through her body. 

"Is any of it due tomorrow?" 

"Mmmm no," she replied. "It's all due next week."

"Then stay home from class tomorrow. You have off from work this weekend, right? Just take an extra day. Use it to mentally prepare yourself. Clean your room, play some games, do your homework."

"Yes mom," Hope replied sarcastically, earning a tinkled laugh from Bailey. 

"Go to sleep, I'll wake you up later with food." Bailey closed the door and all was silent. Hope's mind wandered but she refused to think about her father.  _Maybe Bailey is right,_ she thought sleepily. Her headache had dulled to only a slight ache and she could feel sleep waiting to take her.  _I should probably hear him out before making assumptions._

\-- 

The next day she took Bailey's advice and stayed in, e-mailing excuses about migraines and light/sound sensitivity to her professors. They all shot back e-mails wishing her to get better and attached any assignments or notes she would be missing that day. That was what she liked most about her professors: they were willing to help out when they could if students were sick or couldn't make it to class. She ignored her pile of homework, her many missed calls from her sister, and even a few missed calls from her mother. They both texted her back to back, reminding her about meeting their father the next day. Her mom tried to apologize for not calling her directly, as she thought if it came from Ellie it would sting a little less. A couple of times she found herself composing angry messages back to her mother about what she thought about her wanting to meet their father after 17 years, but every time she would backspace until all of the words were deleted. This wasn't something she could talk about through a text message or even a phone call. It had to be in person. 

She was going to leave this evening to make the two hour drive home. She cleaned her bedroom and did loads of laundry to keep herself occupied. Cleaning, though not something she enjoyed doing all the time, could definitely be a stress reliever at times. She loaded the dishwasher and lightly cleaned her bathroom, organizing the mess of product bottles that lined her shower and her bathroom counter. Once it seemed like she had done all the cleaning she could do, she loaded up her Xbox and clicked on Netflix, watching more episodes of her favorite show to pass the time. 

She had just polished off another season along with a mini frozen pizza and a glass of sweet tea when she noticed the time. She hopped up and hastily gathered the clothes and other things she was going to take home with her just as Bailey walked in the door. 

"Shouldn't you already be on the road? It's after 5:00," she questioned, staring at her. 

"I got a little too invested in my show and lost track of time," Hope admitted sheepishly. Bailey rolled her eyes and set her books on the counter. There were stress lines and bags under her eyes, perks of majoring in a medical field. 

"Are you almost done? Can I help?"

Hope shook her head as she zipped her suitcase. "I'm finished." She grabbed her keys along with her purse, which contained her phone, charger, wallet, and miscellaneous snacks for the road. She hugged Bailey and grabbed her suitcase. "I'll let you know how it goes."

"You better," Bailey jokingly threatened. 

\--

The two hour drive home was uneventful aside from almost getting rear-ended a few times by people who were in too much of a rush down the highway. She listened to her go-to road trip playlist the entire drive which always gave her peace of mind. She pulled into her driveway a little after 7:30, right as the sun was setting below the horizon, giving the sky a nice pink hue. Her sister's and mother's cars sat in the driveway and she could see the two sitting on the couch watching TV. Well, her sister was looking down, glued to her cell phone, but her mother was focused on the show she was watching. She stepped out of her car and shut the door, opening the trunk to grab her suitcase. She saw her sister pop up from the couch and run to the door, throwing it open.

"HOPE'S HERE!" she yelled, sprinting down the walkway and slamming into her, all 5'8" of her. 

"Ellie, that hug is a little tight," she wheezed, patting her sister on the back. 

"Oops, sorry," she apologized, letting her go. "I'm just so happy you're here!" Her eyes searched Hope's face, looking for any sign that she was still mad about their conversation the day before. Finding none, she relaxed, taking hold of her suitcase. "Come on, mom's dying to see you."

"Like she didn't see me last weekend, or the weekend before that, or before that," Hope replied sarcastically, following her sister inside. The house was comfortable and small, with enough space for the three of them. Her mother was allergic to dogs so they never had pets growing up. People always said that Ellie resembled their mother more, but Hope inherited her mother's good eyebrows, her small chin, and her button nose. Her mother's face was lined with age but her smile and her eyes were kind. She pulled Hope into a hug and all of a sudden she relaxed into her embrace. She missed her mother, but enjoyed the freedom she had living in an apartment while going to school. 

"Have you been eating well? Getting enough sleep?" her mother questioned after she pulled away. 

"Yes mom, I am," she laughed. "Bailey makes sure I don't forget to eat."

"I knew I liked her," her mom quipped. She cleared her throat. "Lunch time tomorrow is when your father-"

"You mean your ex-husband," Hope responded, her tone turning cold. 

"-is coming by," her mom finished, narrowing her eyes. "I understand you're mad, Hope, but you still need to respect me. I'm your mother."

"Oh, I respect you," Hope replied. "But not him. I will  _never_ respect a man who leaves his wife and young daughters." She turned away from her mother and took her suitcase to her old bedroom and closed the door. A few moments later she heard a knock. "Please leave me alone, Ellie. I'm tired."

"I just wanted to say something," came her muffled reply. She opened the door and came inside, standing with it cracked. "I know you're less than thrilled, but at least try. If not for me, then try for mom. Yes, this is going to be hard on you, Hope, but mom is seeing him for the first time in 17 years. The man who  _walked out on her_. Cut her some slack."

Hope sat on the bed and sighed, rubbing her face, exhaustion creeping in. "Yeah, alright. I promise I'll try." 

"Thanks, sis." 

\--

Hope woke up earlier than she wanted to and laid there, contemplating just getting back in her car and going back to campus. She felt anger, dread, and anxiety flow through her body. She could hear her mother in the kitchen and her sister listening to a song on her laptop, probably working on homework. Her sister always was a morning person, whereas Hope hated mornings. She was a night owl, through and through. She pulled herself out of bed and grabbed clothes from her bag along with her toiletries, heading to the shower. The warm water loosened her muscles and calmed her mind, if even for a brief moment. She dressed quickly, pulling on her softest and most worn tshirt and her most comfortable pair of shorts. She ran a bit of gel through her hair and blow dried it. She stared into the mirror swiped on a bit of mascara and lipstick, not caring about much else. She didn't want her father to think she had put effort into making herself look presentable for him. 

She walked into the living room and sat on the couch, pulling out her phone. 

**Bailey:** So how's meeting your father going?

**Hope:** He should be here any minute. I really don't want to be here. 

**Bailey:** You got this, H. Text me after. xo

She put her phone down and flipped on the TV, not really paying attention to the channel it was on. Ellie sat beside her, looking tense and nervous. 

"He just pulled into the driveway," she said quietly, squeezing her hand. 

"Wonderful," she remarked, not making any effort to move. 

"Let's go, mom wants both of us in the kitchen." Ellie got up and held out her hand, waiting for Hope to take it. She took a deep breath and grabbed her hand, standing up. 

There was a knock at the door, then the sound of the it opening. "You look amazing, Allie," a man's voice came through the house. 

"I could say the same about you, Richard," their mom replied. "Come in, the girls should be here in a second." 

Ellie and Hope, hands held, made their way into the kitchen slowly, unsure at what they would find. The made it around the corner and Hope paused, letting go of Ellie's hand. The man standing before her posed a striking resemblance to her own looks. His hair had bits of silver woven through it, almost as if on purpose. He was taller than their mom, but not towering. His eyes were striking green, and there was a warm - but somewhat tense - smile on his face. This was her dad. Ellie's dad. The man who had given them life. 

Hope clenched her fists, feeling all of the anger bubble to the surface. Her dad must have sensed this because he opened his mouth to speak. "Hope, I know you're angry-"

"I am not angry," she said calmly, though her body was shaking. "I am  _pissed off._ You don't get to just come around after 17 years with little warning. I don't give a fuck-" 

"Hope Elizabeth!" her mom yelled, shocked by her language. She ignored her. 

"-if you came by wanting to give us money, to apologize, to make up for lost time. You lost that right when you went this long with no communication. So I'm going to ask you the one thing mom and Ellie won't because they want to be civil.  _What the_ hell  _do you want_?"

A stunned silence filled the room. Her mom had her hand over her mouth and her sister looked like she wanted to cry. 

Her father stood there a moment before crossing his arms. "Hope is right. I didn't come here simply to reconcile with my daughters. Or you, Allie."

"Then spit it out," Hope said.

He sighed before continuing. "I'm in quite a lot of trouble. Gambling trouble, I mean." 

Hope laughed, one angry, bitter sound. "Of course. After 17 years, the only reason you'd come back to us is because of money. You don't miss mom. You don't miss Ellie; hell, I don't know why you would, she was only a baby when you left. But me... you had two whole years with me. Was I not enough to make you stay? Was Ellie? Was  _mom_? You had a wife and two daughters who loved you. Yet you chose to walk out on us."

"Listen, young lady," her father said, his tone changing drastically. "Your mother and I were married. We signed an agreement that what we owned together we would share when we got married."

"Right, but that was null and void once you left," Hope yelled. "You left because you loved money and gambling more than us. I see that now. You didn't leave strictly because of us, but the fact that you had two mouths to feed really put a damper on your addiction, didn't it. So mom gave you a choice: your family or your addiction. And you chose your addiction." She felt tears roll down her cheeks and realized she was crying. But they weren't just tears of anger; there was an underlying pain too. She didn't realize how long she had wanted to say this to her father, how long she had had it pent up inside her. 

Her father's mouth was in a thin line and Hope knew she had hit her mark. Her mom had sat down while she yelled and Ellie was rubbing her back, though Hope could feel that she was shaking. 

"I want you to leave," Hope said quietly, her tone saturated with venom. She knew it was too good to be true. 

"This is your mom's house-"

"I would also like you to leave," her mom finally spoke, glaring at her ex-husband. "I thought 17 years would be enough to make you change your ways. I thought you would have settled down and been a father to somebody's children since you couldn't be a father to your own. But I guess I did always have too high of hopes for you, Richard." She stood up and opened the door. "You will never get a cent from me, nor from your daughters. You can come back when you decide that your family is more important than your need for money and your addiction. But now, I would like to have lunch with  _my_ daughters."

Her father stared at her mother with his mouth slightly open before letting out a resigned sigh. He turned towards Ellie and Hope and started to say something, but decided against it when he realized they were both glaring at him with tears rolling down their cheeks. "Fine. I'll leave. But it was good to see you girls again. Ellie, you're the spitting image of your mother. Absolutely beautiful. And Hope..."

"What?" Hope snapped. She just wanted him to leave already so they could have peace and quiet. 

"It was nice to see you again. You really turned into a strong and beautiful young woman." He stepped through the open door and left, her mom slamming it behind him. She stood there for a second, her palms pressed against the door, breathing heavily. Ellie pulled Hope into a hug, both sisters silently crying from the emotional encounter. 

After a time, Ellie spoke up, "I'm sorry, mom. I thought it would be okay."

Their mom turned around and pulled both girls into a hug. Her face, surprisingly, was not wet with tears or contorted with anger like Hope thought. In fact, she looked happier and more peaceful than she had looked in years. "Your father being here, even for five minutes, just proved that we were better off without him in the end. I raised two strong, independent, beautiful young ladies  _on my own_."

They broke apart, her mom kissing both of their cheeks before starting to make lunch. Hope went into the living room with Ellie and sat on the couch in the same spots as before. 

"Are you upset I didn't try?" Hope asked, picking up her phone to call Bailey. 

Ellie shook her head. "No; I'm glad one of us had the balls to yell at him. I'm proud of you." She smiled before turning on the television. Hope could smell chicken frying in the kitchen as she clicked to her contacts and dialed Bailey's number. She answered after two rings.

"So? How'd it go?" she asked. Hope could hear typing in the background and assumed she was doing homework. 

"About a well as expected," she responded, absentmindedly watching some show about vampires that Ellie had settled on. 

"Want to talk about it? I'm all ears."

"Sunday night, when I get home. But right now I'm just going to spend time with my family," she responded, smiling at her sister who mimicked throwing up. 

"Sounds good. See you then, Hope."

"Yeah, see you then."


End file.
